South Africa's AMCU union to strike at world's top platinum producers

RUSTENBURG, South Africa, Jan 19 (Reuters) - South Africa's Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) voted to strike at world No. 1 platinum producer Anglo American Platinum AMSJ.J on Sunday and its president Joseph Mathunjwa said the stoppage would begin on Thursday.

The strike vote was taken by a show of hands in a stadium in the platinum belt city of Rustenburg where around 15,000 AMCU members gathered in a show of force. Miners will also down tools at Lonmin LMI.L and Impala Platinum in a massive strike that will hit over half of the world's platinum output.

(Reporting by Zandi Shabalala and Ed Stoddard; Editing by Tosin Sulaiman)

((Edward.Stoddard@thomsonreuters.com)(+27 11 775 3160)(Reuters Messaging: edward.stoddard.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: SAFRICA STRIKES/